Monday, July 6th – Pulaski, TN to New Albany, MS

So, some words on how we ride each day. The three of us have a system in place that is comfortable, safe, and shares responsibility. Everyone has a role, which makes things much easier for all.

Dan is out in front. He is highly skilled, with a lifetime of experience that makes him the perfect choice for leader of the pack. He’s best able to read the road, and to alert everyone to obstacles or issues up ahead.

Rob is navigator. He’s in the center position, monitoring the GPS, and calling out route instructions over the radio. His main job is to identify the next turn so that everybody’s prepared.

Ryan is sweep. He’s in the rear position, and keeps an eye on traffic, along with anything else that may not be apparent to the riders in front. He’s also responsible for constantly reminding Dan & Rob to turn off their blinkers. We appreciate that. Very, very much. Thank you, Ryan!

Today was the first day in our trip that we encountered rain. It was a short-lived afternoon shower, but with enough gusto such that we all got plenty wet. The balance of the day was beautiful and sunny. And hot. It’s most definitely hot down here.

We also encountered our first impassible roads today. Stuff happens (like bridges that are out), so we needed to re-route on a couple of occasions in order to get back on the trail. Not a big deal, but this could be more of an issue out west, when a detour could mean back-tracking 100 miles or more.

With 229 more miles behind us, it was another very good day. Everyone was tired and sore, but happy to have a much needed shower, a hot meal, and a cold beer. Here’s to tomorrow!